If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

What do you expect: Danny Granger

The next what do you expect thread will focus on our leader, Danny Granger. Although he has improved by 5 ppg each year, last year, the whole league witnessed him turning into a borderline superstar. Danny is becoming the go-to-guy in the clutch, and a guy that has turned into a great leader/face of the franchise. Danny isn't in the commercials (yet) he doesn't have his own shoe line, and he doesn't have the respect from a lot of people. The main complaint you hear about him is that he scores so well because he's on a bad team. That's not the case at all. The pacers have many people capable of scoring 15-20 points on a given night. It's defense that wins games.

Defense is what Danny wants to improve on. Everybody is talking about how Tyler and Dahntay will make us better defensively, but nobody is realizing that next year, we will have a Danny Granger with a bit more toughness on the defensive end. The combination of these three, with an improved Rush/Hibbert, we'll be much better on D this year.

1. Will Danny average more or less than 25 ppg this year?

2. Will he make the allstar game again this year?

3. Will Danny eventually be in the running for MVP? (not this year, but in his career)

4. Do you expect Danny to retire here as a Pacer?

5. Does Danny need to average more assists?

6. What is one part of his game he must improve on to become a "superstar"

7. although i hate to bring the comparison back, Is Danny, Batman?

8. Do you expect to see a lock down defender in Danny this season?

9. What superstar would you like to place next to Danny, not named LeBron or Kobe?

10. Do you expect danny to lead us to the playoffs this year?

and here are the answers to my questons

1. Danny will not average 25 ppg this season. I am guessing around 22 ppg.

2. He will make the Allstar game again this year, but not start.

3. Danny will be in the running for mvp at some point in his career. But he probably will never win it. (PROVE ME WRONG!)

4. I think Danny wants to retire here, and depending on what he does here, he will have his number retired.

5. Danny needs to dish to his teammates more often. I'd be very happy if he averaged 4 apg.

6. He must improve on defensively stopping an opponent in the clutch.

7. He is batman.

8. He will be very close to a lockdown defender.

9. I'd love to see Chris bosh or Chris Paul play with him.

10. Barring any injuries, we will be a playoff team lead by DG33.

and here are his ranks in the league
Ranks #5 in the NBA in Points Per Game(25.8)
Ranks #34 in the NBA in Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage(0.404)
Ranks #13 in the NBA in Free-Throw Percentage(0.878)
Ranks #35 in the NBA in Minutes Per Game(36.2)
Ranks #19 in the NBA in Field Goals Made(571.0)
Ranks #13 in the NBA in Field Goal Attempts(1277.0)
Ranks #4 in the NBA in Three-Point Field Goals Made(182.0)
Ranks #6 in the NBA in Three-Point Field Goal Attempts(450.0)
Ranks #15 in the NBA in Free Throws(404.0)
Ranks #18 in the NBA in Free Throw Attempts(460.0)
Ranks #19 in the NBA in Blocks(97.0)
Ranks #10 in the NBA in Points(1728.0)
Ranks #6 in the NBA in Field Goals Per 48 Minutes(11.31)
Ranks #6 in the NBA in Field-Goal Attempts Per 48 Minutes(25.28)
Ranks #6 in the NBA in Free Throws Per 48 Minutes(8.0)
Ranks #12 in the NBA in Free Throw Attempts Per 48 Minutes(9.11)
Ranks #7 in the NBA in Three-Point Field Goals Per 48 Minutes(3.6)
Ranks #31 in the NBA in Blocks Per 48 Minutes(1.92)
Ranks #4 in the NBA in Points Per 48 Minutes(34.2)
Ranks #40 in the NBA in Total Turnovers(165.0)
Ranks #29 in the NBA in Total Efficiency Points(1491.0)
Ranks #14 in the NBA in Efficiency Ranking(22.25)
Ranks #14 in the NBA in Efficiency Ranking Per 48 Minutes(29.52)
Ranks #43 in the NBA in Turnovers Per 48 Minutes(3.27)

Re: What do you expect: Danny Granger

I will elaborate on #1, #4 and #10.

1. I am on the fence with this. The absence of Dunleavy was I think the primary reason why Danny got more looks this year. With the emergence of Rush, I would expect Danny's scoring to go down, especially if Brandon could average points within the mid-high teens. The optimist in me says there is no other way than up!

4. I think he is in the right spot for his number to be retired, but I don't want to think about Danny retiring for a long time.

10. I don't expect him to lead this team anywhere, all along he wasn't meant to be the leader of this or any team. Sure, he's been put into that role, but once we get a better supporting cast of players around him we will be where we need to be.

Re: What do you expect: Danny Granger

1. Will Danny average more or less than 25 ppg this year?
Push.2. Will he make the allstar game again this year?
Yes.3. Will Danny eventually be in the running for MVP? (not this year, but in his career)
No.4. Do you expect Danny to retire here as a Pacer?
No.5. Does Danny need to average more assists?
No.6. What is one part of his game he must improve on to become a "superstar"
Defense.7. although i hate to bring the comparison back, Is Danny, Batman?
No, Bruce Wayne is Batman.8. Do you expect to see a lock down defender in Danny this season?
Not lockdown, but noticeably improved.9. What superstar would you like to place next to Danny, not named LeBron or Kobe?
Dwight Howard.10. Do you expect danny to lead us to the playoffs this year?
Maybe. Let's see how the offseason shakes out first.

Re: What do you expect: Danny Granger

1. Will Danny average more or less than 25 ppg this year?Less maybe 21-23ppg

2. Will he make the allstar game again this year?Yes but not as a starter

3. Will Danny eventually be in the running for MVP? (not this year, but in his career)Doubt it. Lebron, Dwight, Kobe, and Wade are likely front runners.

4. Do you expect Danny to retire here as a Pacer?Hopefully, I view Danny as Our Paul Pierce.

5. Does Danny need to average more assists?No, but if he scores less you would hope he records more assists.

6. What is one part of his game he must improve on to become a "superstar"Ballhandling! ie The ability to go ISO at the end of Games ala Paul Pierce.
Oh Yea and Defense.

7. Although i hate to bring the comparison back, Is Danny, Batman?Not yet. See #6

8. Do you expect to see a lock down defender in Danny this season?Not "Lock down" But Much improved. Most "Lock Down" Defenders cant score like Danny(Bowen,Prince,Raja) other "Lock down" guys rarely cover an oponents best scorer(Kobe,Lebron) Ron Artest is the exception.

9. What superstar would you like to place next to Danny, not named LeBron or Kobe?Realisticly, Bosh (Paul Pierce/Garnett Combo) or Wade (Jordan/Pippen Combo). Cris Paul or Deron Williams sound Nice as Well. Howard wont be leaving Orlando For a Long Time.

10. Do you expect danny to lead us to the playoffs this year?He will Lead The team in scoring and shots attempted but If the Pacers make it to the Playoffs it will be through a combined effort.

Re: What do you expect: Danny Granger

1. Will Danny average more or less than 25 ppg this year?
22-25. Not much will change about our reliance on Danny to put points on the board. I see him becoming more efficient though.

2. Will he make the allstar game again this year?
Likely

3. Will Danny eventually be in the running for MVP? (not this year, but in his career)
I think that he may have that anomaly year where he puts up great numbers, the team is winning, and several of the other top players in the league are having down years. He won't win, but he can have a JO like run for the prize.

4. Do you expect Danny to retire here as a Pacer?
Ask me again in 5 years.

5. Does Danny need to average more assists?
Not necessarily.

6. What is one part of his game he must improve on to become a "superstar"
Defense. If Jones and/or Rush can neutralize the number 1 option, we want Granger to do the same to the number 2.

7. although i hate to bring the comparison back, Is Danny, Batman?
He's more like Mr. Fantastic of the fantastic four. Now, whether Rush, Hibbert and Hansbrough are the other 3...that's TBD.

8. Do you expect to see a lock down defender in Danny this season?
No, I expect consistency from a defensive standpoint. There were times last year he looked great, others...not so much.

9. What superstar would you like to place next to Danny, not named LeBron or Kobe?
Howard or Wade. Danny would be down right lethal with howard drawing attention down low. Wade and Granger would be an insane wing tandem drawing deserved comparisons to Jordan and Pippen, you can't really pass that up.

10. Do you expect danny to lead us to the playoffs this year?
Yes. With all this talk of the east improving, I don't see much happening past the magic welcoming salary cap hell with open arms.

Re: What do you expect: Danny Granger

1. Will Danny average more or less than 25 ppg this year?More, less shots butI think he will get to the FT line more. 2. Will he make the allstar game again this year?He'd be one of the last ones to make it, but I'll be optimistic and say yes. 3. Will Danny eventually be in the running for MVP? (not this year, but in his career)No 4. Do you expect Danny to retire here as a Pacer?Yes 5. Does Danny need to average more assists?Yes 6. What is one part of his game he must improve on to become a "superstar"Creating for others, not being a pure scorer. He says himself that he needs to improve on defense, and I agree there. The vast majority of his energy went into scoring last year. Hopefully the build of our team allows him to balance out his efforts. 7. although i hate to bring the comparison back, Is Danny, Batman?I think he could be. But I really don't think we're building that way. The "3 stars and role players" philosophy is San Anton's and most teams have copied that. I think we're using the 90s Pacers model. He'll be the "Reggie" if you will of that group. A leader, clutch, the go-to guy. 8. Do you expect to see a lock down defender in Danny this season?Lock down is too strong. But good, yes. Dahntay and Brandon will wind up guarding the best wing player often though IMO. 9. What superstar would you like to place next to Danny, not named LeBron or Kobe?I mean, Dwight Howard would fill a lot of holes for this team. CP3 would be nice too. But I think I'd give him a post player first because TJ is a servicable PG, though I'm really hoping we sign Sessions. 10. Do you expect danny to lead us to the playoffs this year?Well I thought I'd say yes, but a lot of other Eastern teams improved. I think we will be right on the border again, with health being a major variable. The only East playoff team that comes to mind that hasn't improved IMO is Miami. The rest have made moves to improve.